Scam calls. Is Fido has no protection on the data??

Hello Fido.

Today I have been called three times from the numbers as follow:

+248 9999 68,

+248 9999 25,

+248 9999 37.

Caller ID shows name "Seychelles". I checked those number online and on website WhoCallsMe.com they are posted by many people today. I accidently answer one call, never called back to, and blocked all three numbers.

My question is there are a lot of people affected by this scam today, hoppefully most people understood that it's a type of scam. but anyway, most affected numbers are registered with Fido or Rogers (which is the same company basically). You have all users' data, and you must protect this data. Then how it happened than in one day so many people were called from the same numbers?? Don't tell me that the scammers use computer generated numbers, because most of the affected people were from Toronto Area. I've been living in Alberta for two years. but kept my Ontario number, so basically my information is registered in Ontario.

I do need real answers!!!! What kind of steps are you going to make to protect my personal information??

Probably about two weeks ago I received another call from +1 (867) 992-0248, it was recorded message from CRA (which I'm fully aware is a scam) with a treat to arrest me if I won't call them immidiatly. I blocked this number too.

Anyway, to block numbers it's not a solution to this, data protection is. And it feels that all personal information is leaking from Fido to the hands of scamers.

I do request to contact me and explain what is going on not in general term but with a technical solution!!!

Re: Scam calls. Is Fido has no protection on the data??

I completely understand that receiving those types of calls is not pleasant at all and can be a great irritant and I assure you that we take this very seriously.

You can also rest assured that we have nothing to do with these kinds of calls and don’t support them in any way. Unfortunately, there isn’t anything we can do to stop these companies from contacting you because there are no laws stopping them from doing so. But we do everything we can to lower their chances of getting in touch with you.

We use sophisticated anti-spam software in our network to protect you from spammers. The software has advanced threat detection algorithms to constantly hunt for and identify suspicious activity. We also have a dedicated team who monitors and detect for mobile messaging threats and creates configurations to block current/new issues in real-time.

We try our best to stop these kinds of activities, however, as much as we try, we can't stop them all!

Most importantly, we would never sell or share any of our customers' personal information, including phone numbers, as your privacy and security stays one of our top priorities!

Avoid picking up those calls as much as possible and make sure to block the unwanted calls by blocking the caller's number.

I also recommend reporting the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre:

Re: Scam calls. Is Fido has no protection on the data??

We received this same Call. On two Numbers in the same Household. 3 days ago I received call from this number. ‭(416) 964-7260‬ I think somebody Chinese. They even left the message. I hope to have bill in good “condition “ this month.

Re: Scam calls. Is Fido has no protection on the data??

I completely understand that receiving those types of calls is not pleasant at all and can be a great irritant and I assure you that we take this very seriously.

You can also rest assured that we have nothing to do with these kinds of calls and don’t support them in any way. Unfortunately, there isn’t anything we can do to stop these companies from contacting you because there are no laws stopping them from doing so. But we do everything we can to lower their chances of getting in touch with you.

We use sophisticated anti-spam software in our network to protect you from spammers. The software has advanced threat detection algorithms to constantly hunt for and identify suspicious activity. We also have a dedicated team who monitors and detect for mobile messaging threats and creates configurations to block current/new issues in real-time.

We try our best to stop these kinds of activities, however, as much as we try, we can't stop them all!

Most importantly, we would never sell or share any of our customers' personal information, including phone numbers, as your privacy and security stays one of our top priorities!

Avoid picking up those calls as much as possible and make sure to block the unwanted calls by blocking the caller's number.

I also recommend reporting the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre:

Re: Scam calls. Is Fido has no protection on the data??

Hello,

just a question from a person affected by the same issue yesterday April 16.

Are you saying that - although a large number of FIDO users suddenly reported to have received calls from same numbers - FIDO itself will not do any investigation on why this problem affected its customers in Toronto area only?

Re: Scam calls. Is Fido has no protection on the data??

"Block the number" is your solution?? It's so wrong, I came to the same solution without your help. I did not ask what I have to do, my question was what Fido is going to do. The large amount of Toronto numbers were affected, this scammer got all those numbers in the same time, it's not like they spent much time to collect Toronto numbers, it's defenetly Fido's fault that large amount of data become available for the third party.

When it happens once in the while it's one issue, when it happens to hundreds people in the same period of time, it's indication that something wrong with your security system. STOP TELLING ME TO BLOCK NUMBERS, do what you mustto do to protect my information, and I pay for it.

Re: Scam calls. Is Fido has no protection on the data??

Rest assured we are doing everything that we can to lower the chance of such callers getting to you. That said, we hear you loud and clear when you say that more severe measures should be taken and we will be passing your feedback along.

Re: Scam calls. Is Fido has no protection on the data??

Hello Irinac,

Welcome to the community!

I understand getting SPAM and Scam calls is frustrating. Unfortunately, there is nothing the mobile providers can do to prevent them.

@Irinac wrote:...Then how it happened than in one day so many people were called from the same numbers?? Don't tell me that the scammers use computer generated numbers, because most of the affected people were from Toronto Area. I've been living in Alberta for two years. but kept my Ontario number, so basically my information is registered in Ontario. ...

The scammers/spammers do make calls (and send SMS) using computers to dial the numbers. However, you should note that computer generated numbers does not necessarily mean they're random. All phone numbers -- whether landline or mobile -- are in databases which are readily available online. Certain prefixes are designated as landlines, others as Rogers, Fido, Bell, etc. For example:

All a computer has to do is sequentially dial those numbers from 0000 to 9999 and all of those customers would be with Rogers in Toronto. Okay, some customers might have ported their numbers to other providers or moved, but those changes would not be reflected in the online databases. Those cases would be perfect examples that computers are being used. For example, this Fido customer here, received a SPAM SMS directed towards Bell/Telus customers. They had ported their number from Telus years ago, yet the online databases would still likely list their number as belonging to a Telus customer.

If those calls were targeted at Ontario customers, the fact that you still received the calls when you're living in Alberta could be evidence they're using computers and not a breach of Fido's database. Presumably, Fido has your new Alberta address. Someone living in another Province would not require duct cleaning services in Ontario, for example.

I understand you don't want to be told to block the numbers. However, as noted previously, there isn't much providers can do to prevent the calls. They cannot block the numbers at the network level. In addition to using computers to dial the numbers, they also make the calls using spoofed numbers. That is, they mask their own number and provide the number of an unsuspecting third party. Often the owners of the spoofed numbers are not aware it's being used in such a manner -- until people call them to say they're returning their call. Blocking the numbers at the network level, would mean blocking innocent customers. Even if the numbers appear to come from abroad, some people may need to use those numbers for legitimate purposes.

Unfortunately, until the technology to unmask the number of spammers/scammers is readily available, the only solution currently is to block the numbers on your phone.

Re: Scam calls. Is Fido has no protection on the data??

Hello again,

Just to add to my earlier post...

DO NOT CALL those numbers back!

It appears as those calls from +248 xxxx xx might be similar to the One Ring phone scams (see here and here). Calling those numbers back could cost an exorbitant amount of money. I understand they note that blocking suspicious numbers is not enough to protect against fraud since the scammers will simply change the number(s) slightly. However, it highlights the fact that the issue affects both Canada and US customers. The only thing, we as customers can do, is to be vigilant whenever an unknown party initiates contact over the phone.

I noted previously that there isn't anything the providers (or the CRTC) can do to prevent the calls. However, it is hopeful to note that the CRTC is trying to implement measures to reduce nuisance calls (see here and here).

Re: Scam calls. Is Fido has no protection on the data??

I got the same 3 calls from the same 3 numbers between April 16th and 17th as well. Recently joined fido a few months ago, I use to be with Bell and this was never an issue. Might possibly have to consider switching back if the calls keep coming in and nothing is being done about it.